John is running for the Village Board to advance solutions to our property tax crisis, cultivate economic development, prioritize public safety and support Village staff. John’s priorities are to:
- Seek solutions to solve our property tax crisis
Park Forest residents have been dealing with high property taxes for years. This challenge is primarily due to a significant decline in the Village’s equalized assessed value since 2010. As Trustee, John will work with his colleagues, village staff, and county and state elected officials to advance policies that would increase equalized assessed value and expand the Village’s tax base, thus easing the burden on current taxpayers. - Cultivate economic development
Another way to expand Park Forest’s tax base and ease the burden on current taxpayers is to attract and retain businesses. The Village can accomplish this by revitalizing Downtown Park Forest, creative use of incentive packages and encouraging companies in need of high traffic patterns to consider locations on Route 30, Western Avenue and Sauk Trail. - Prioritize public safety
According to a survey done in 2021, most Park Forest residents feel safe and believe that the Village’s police and fire departments are responsive. The Village Board must continue to support programs that cultivate relationships between residents and public safety officials and encourage innovative crime-fighting strategies. We must maintain the quality of life that Park Foresters expect. - Ensure that the board remains supportive of and works with our award-winning Village staff
Park Forest has won numerous awards since its founding and those honors would not have been possible without the dedicated professionals who make up the Village’s staff. As Trustee, John will work with his colleagues to ensure that the Village Board remains supportive of the staff.